I was so happy to return to the town of Dream Harbor! And who doesn't love a good opposites attract trope? Introverted bookworm, Hazel, meets town playboy and local fisherman, Noah. There is an insta-love quality to their relationship, but there are so many cute moments and pining to make up for it. Overall, this is such a fun and cozy read and perfect transition from the summer season to fall.

Ok, this is the absolute sweetest book! This book was even better than the 1st in the series ( The Pumpkin Spice Cafe)and I wasn't sure that was even possible. Hazel and Noah are absolutely perfect together. Noah became my favorite contemporary romance boyfriend. He is compassionate, empathetic and wants to make himself better to be worthy of Hazel. I absolutely melted for him. That ending and the gestures he made.....OH MY GOD.

It was so fun to go back to Dream Harbor and see what characters from the previous book were up to and to truly see this as a cozy little town that is big on taking care of their own. I feel like these characters resemble friends of my own, and it really is so easy to connect and fall in love with them and want to know what's going on in their lives. I am so thoroughly impressed with Laurie Gilmore and how she has brought this series to life.

First off love the storyline, I loved the talking about changing a decade and the genuine feelings that come with that. I loved the characters so much and the continuation of the group of friends we got to meet and love in Pumpkin Spice Cafe. It is a perfect book to cozy up with a blanket and read! Cannot wait to read the next one.

Thank you so much to netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was so cute! I love a good small town, spicy romance. I read it in one sitting and stayed up late to finish it.
I would describe this book as Gilmore Girls meets Tessa Bailey It Happened One Summer. I love anything to do with books and bookstores, so I loved that she worked at the bookstore and the plot was driven by clues hidden in books.

It inspired me to read the first in the series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe and it was also great! I pre-ordered the next two that are coming out too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper 360 for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more book content, follow me @romantic.ally_ on instagram

It is a wonderful summer-to-fall transition book that I think readers will devour! I loved Hazel and Noah so, so much, way more than I thought I would! Anyone who has ever felt lost in life, like they are stuck spinning their wheels, can and will relate to Hazel. She is on the verge of turning 30 and feels like she hasn't had any grand adventures in life. She lives in a small town, has had the same friends forever, and works in the same bookshop that she has loved for years. Her life is fine. She is content... but there's no excitement, no chaos, no spontaneity. She starts getting secret messages dog-eared on the pages of certain books in her store, and she takes that as a sign that someone is leaving her clues to help get her out of her comfort zone. Enter Noah, who has been head over heels for Hazel for years. Hazel asks for Noah's help to have a memorable summer before she turns 30... but she doesn't expect to fall in love with him in the process! This book will surely satisfy people who are looking for a blend of spicy and sweet. It's shockingly more spicy than I expected! Sure, some of the dialogue is super cheesy bordering on cringe-worthy, but I think there is enough substance and fun here that most readers will overlook the goofiness. I liked this book quite a bit and cannot wait for the next installment in the series!

Thank you to the publisher, Harper 360 and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange. This book is now out for purchase! This is the second installment of the Dream Harbor series. If you're a fan of small town drama, romance, and hijinks this book is definitely for you! This one has more of a summery vibe than the first book in this series. I will say the first book was more of my vibe than this one. Anyone feeling the effects of a milestone birthday impending doom will appreciate this story!

I received this book as an ARC. This is the second book in the Dream Harbor series and was such a perfect summer to fall romance. Getting to see Hazel and Noah work through their personal insecurities while falling in love and learning to communicate really tugged on the heart strings. There was the perfect amount of cute moments to make you root for their love story to have a happy ending. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series once it’s released.

This sweet book is as easy to read as it is to breathe!

Hazel has always been responsible and as she’s on the cusp of turning 30 she decides she wants to be a bit more reckless and fun. As clues pop up through her bookstore, they lead her on an adventurous scavenger hunt, and she asks Noah, the gorgeous local fisherman to help her see them through.

I was hooked from the first 10 pages –– Hazel and Noah are both so dang likable! They quickly became more than friends and I enjoyed the spicy scenes and sweet vibes between them.

You’ll Like ‘The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore’ If You Enjoy:
- A little bit of mystery 🔍
- Small Town Romance
- Steamy scenes with consent 🔥
- Cute laughable moments
- Books with a Bookstore (duh!) 📚
- He Falls First 💫
- Miscommunication Trope
- LGBTQIA+ inclusion (softly woven into supporting characters)

The author shares this is a guaranteed HEA and without giving anything away, I will say that Noah’s grand gesture had me swooning! 🥹🥹🥹

A Few of My Favorite Quotes:
- ‘Trust me, okay? I’ll keep you safe. Promise.’ She tipped her face up to his. ‘I do trust you. There’s just a lot of ways this could go wrong.’ ‘Yeah, but think of all the ways it could go right.’
- Because what more did one need besides good friends, good books, and the occasional cinnamon bun?

PS – This is a great standalone book, so don’t hesitate to read it before the series prequel ‘The Pumpkin Spice Cafe’!

THANK YOU to Laurie Gilmore, NetGalley, and Harper 360 for the eARC copy in exchange for my review!

I am loving this series so far. so cozy with added spice. I love the mystery elements in this series. cannot wait for the next couple of books to come out!
definitely worth the hype I've been seeing all over social media

Dual POV, Spicy, Bookish FMC & MMC, He Falls First, Small Town, Opposites Attract

"She was allowed to be content. She was allowed to not want anything more than this."

Okay, this book absolutely took me by surprise. Not only does Laurie Gilmore deliver a perfect cozy, fall romance but the overall theme of this book is all about self acceptance and self love. Shedding expectations from society, friends, and family and just loving yourself the way you are. This book feels like having your favorite person handing you your favorite warm drink and placing a kiss on your forehead.

Cinnamon Bun Bookstore is the perfect combination of hallmark movie meets spicy romance. Laurie Gilmore creates the coziest and dreamiest small town you can imagine, Dream Harbor. As she approaches turning 30, Hazel is feeling stuck in her career and life and general. After a drunken kiss is a blueberry patch, Noah, the fun time fisherman agrees to teach her how to let loose and be a little reckless to help her feel less stuck in life. This was the perfect combination of sweetness with some spice and a book lovers dream! I mean, a scavenger hunt of clues left in books, the FMC managers a bookstore while her best friend owns the local bookstore down the street, what more could you want? As if Noah wasn’t swoonworthy enough, his relationship with his nieces and their friendship bracelets had me tearing up. This one has all the fall feels and has me so excited to head into cozy season!

Will be posting on Instagram in the next 1-2 weeks

This book was so stinkin cute, and the perfect summer-to-fall transition love story!

First off, the fact that this starts off in a bookstore and Hazel works there, I’m already in😅

I relate with Hazel so much, so this was such a cute read, with the mystery component thrown in! Noah is so sweet with her and reassuring of her when she feels uneasy about herself. He cares for her, all of who she is, and helps her gain confidence in herself.
And he also reads?! SWOON.

Definitely a small-town romance trope, which I am here for!! I love how through their little adventures, they get to know each other more and growing in their feelings for each other.
This was such a cute story from beginning to end, and I can’t wait to keep reading more books by Laurie Gilmore!

3.25 ⭐️

Cinnamon Bun cafe is a fun addition to the Dream Harbor series. Although I read Pumpkin Spice Cafe before this, it can absolutely be read as a standalone imo.

SO excited to have been approved for this ARC!
This is the perfect book to read as we are moving from summer to fall 🍂 For those that don’t know, this book is super spicy.

Overall, I enjoyed this one more than the Pumpkin Spice Cafe. I was rooting for Noah & Hazel, but at the same time the romance was a bit undeveloped. It was hard for me to feel connected to the characters.

I absolutely loved the setting of the story! Such a cute town— loved the bookshop that Hazel works in & the pumpkin spice cafe next door. That being said, I think the book could’ve played up the town setting a little bit more. I would’ve loved to spend more time in the bookstore setting, seeing more customers & maybe even venturing into the cafe more!

Overall a super cute fluffy romance! This was the second enstallment in the series and really enjoyed it! I thought it was the perfect cozy fall book to kick off the season and it put me in the best mood!! Hazel and Noah were perfect for one another<3

I AM HERE FOR #HANSOF!!!! This book was absolutely delicious. I had so much fun with Noah and Hazel, and the side characters. Five very enthusiastic stars!!!! Thank you for ARC!!!

I LOVED this!! When I saw there was a new book to read for Fall I was super excited. The characters are engaging and the slice is just the right amount. I’m probably going to reread both of the books again further into Fall. They are definite favorites for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the gift of this book.

I love the setting and vibe of this town, It is so cozy. I got hardcore Rory Gilmore and Jess vibes from the two main characters. The romance was a little bit too insta love for me but I understand the characters already know each other from living in the same town. I just wish there was a little more build up to them liking each other.

✨📚🥐 The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore 🥐📚✨

I would love to spend a Saturday morning eating pastries and browsing books at the Cinnamon Bun Book Store. It is truly every bookish gals dream stop.

If you are a fan of small town romances like the Bellinger Sister series by Tessa Bailey or the Lovelight Farms series by B.K. Borison, this is the series for you. Sweet friendships, spicy romances, and lots of small town drama mixed in—yes, please!

This book is a light read following the summer adventures of Hazel, a local bookstore manager who is two months from her 30th birthday and has found herself mid-crisis about how mild and uneventful her twenties were. She enlists Noah, local fishing guide and town hottie to join her as she attempts to make the most of her remaining twenties. And they might just find that what they are doing is more than just fun.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5/5

Thank you NetGalley and Harper 360 for the ARC of this book! 🥰

When I saw The Cinnamon Bun Book Store was available on NetGalley I jumped at the opportunity to read another Laurie Gilmore book. After falling in love with Dream Harbor through The Pumpkin Spice Cafe I knew I needed to take a trip back asap. Noah and Hazel are perfectly sweet, the definition of a Hallmark-sappy love. I really don't know what I can say other than this book is feel good from beginning to end and had me kicking my feet the entire time. Once again, Laurie Gilmore lived up to the Gilmore name, providing all the small town, feel-good sappiness. I cannot wait for the next one.

Laurie? Keep 'em comin' :)

♡ I received an arc copy of The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore in exchange for an honest review... that being said, let’s get into it! :)

♡ This is such a cute cozy read, perfect to read during the transition from summer to fall! It has opposites attract, reverse age gap (4 years), mystery, friends with benefits, he falls first, and small town vibes! Hazel is nearing her thirtieth birthday with dread because she feels that she hasn't lived her twenties to the fullest. But as mystery clues pop up around her bookstore, she sees it as an opportunity to have some fun during her last few months of her twenties by having a grand summer adventure following these clues. She decides to recruit the local fisherman, Noah, to help her follow said clues in order to have a fun-filled summer! And they have fun... in many ways!

♡ This was a light fluffy read, with some serious moments and feels. The topic of anxiety, over perfection, fear of what other people think, and a need to be successful was represented well in this book and written in a manner that made it so relatable to the readers. You really felt for the characters and resonated with them. I loved it, it made them more than just characters you read about on a page.

♡ Hazel and Noah were so cute! I loved their journey of figuring out their footing, and growing to love not only each other but themselves as well. I LOVED the town meeting scene! It was just so cute and I giggled the whole time. It really reminded me of the town hall meetings in Gilmore Girls.